Two individuals, allegedly involved in the tragic killing of Ugandan Benjamin Kiplagat, made a court appearance in Western Kenya on Tuesday,January 2, 2024.
The two men were brought before the Eldoret law courts for a miscellaneous application. The court ruled that David Lokere and Peter Khalumi should be detained at Eldoret Central Police Station for 21 days while the police conduct investigations.
Law enforcement authorities revealed that the arrests were made with the suspects in possession of the alleged murder weapon, necessitating time for forensic analysis. The apprehension of the suspects was aided by CCTV footage.
Benjamin Kiplagat, who was residing in Kenya for training in Eldoret town, met his tragic end. The court will revisit the case on January 24, this year.
The arrest of the two men took place on the outskirts of Eldoret on Monday. The body of the late Olympic champion was discovered on Sunday, December 31.
Stephen Okal, Moiben Police Commander, disclosed that Kiplagat’s body was found in a car near Kimumu Secondary School along the Eldoret-Iten road, a six-hour drive west of Nairobi. The 34-year-old steeplechase runner had been stabbed in his brother’s car, with money and a cell phone taken from the victim.
As a long-distance runner specializing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Kiplagat represented Uganda in six World Athletics Championships and participated in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics. The Kenyan-born athlete reached the semi-finals of the 2012 London Olympics.
Expressing deep sorrow, the Uganda Athletics Federation issued a statement on Monday, mourning the loss of Benjamin Kiplagat. Athletics Kenya official Barnabas Korir also urged the police to expedite investigations and bring the killers to justice.
